The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1887-12-21


the agricultural product, and decreasing stead
lily the large home demand which Ia constantly
enlarging rs ihome manufactures enlarge.
farmer. Cutting tho market with his products.
and tending constantly to lower prices.
The foreign demand for farm products would
be increased in like ratio, would It noty"
Even suppose It were, retorted Mr.. Blaine.
show DO YOU know tho source from which IL will
be supplioa2 The tendency In Russis TODAY
and in the Asiatc possessions OF England Is
toward large increase OF the grain supply,
the grain being raised by the cheapest possible
labor. Manufacturing countries will buy their
brendstutfs where they can get them cheapest,
and the enlarging of the home market for the
American farmer being checked he would
search in vain for one OF the same value. His
foreign sales are already checked by the great
competition abroad. There never wa time
when the incresse of u largo home market was
so valuable to him. The best proof is that the
farmers prosperous In proportion 10 the
nearness OF manufacturing centers, and pro
tective tar ~ tends to spread manufactures In
Ohio and Indiana. for example,, though not
classed as manufacturing States, the annual
value of fabrics ia larger than the annual
value OF agricultural products.
But those holding the Presidents views re-
marked the reporter, are always quoting tho
great prosperity OF the country under the tariff
OF 49, 6."
THAT tariff did not involve the one destruc-
tive point recommended by the President,
namely, the retaining OF { -ect internal taxes
In order to abolish Indirect taxes levied on for
eign fabrics. But the country had peculiar ad-
vantases under it by the Crimean war inyolv-
ing ENGLAND, France and Russia, and largely
impairing thor trade. All these incidents, or
accidents IL you choose were immensely slim
ulating to trade in the United States, regardless
OF the nature of our tariff But mark the end
OF this European experience with the tariff OF
1916, which for a time gave an illusory AID de-
ceptive show OF prosperity It's enactment was
Immediately followed by tho Mexican war
thon in S4S by the great commissions OF Europe, ,
then in lSi9 and succeeding years by the enor-
nous gold yield In California. The Powers
aaYN In nd MT a
output OF gold in California fell of. Immedi-
ately tho financial panic OF 1857 came upon the
country with disastrous force. Though we had
in these years mined a vast amount OF gold in
California, every bank in New York was COM
PEELED to suspend specie payment -Four hun
dred millions in gold had been carried out OF
the country in eight years to pay for foreign
goo Is that should have been manufactured at
home, and we had years OF depression and dis
trcss as an atonement for our folly 1t is re;
markable that President Polk recommended
the tariff of 1916 on precisely the same grounds
that President Cleveland recommends SINH
lar enactment now. namely, the surplus in the
Treasury was menacing the prosperity OF the
country. History repeats itself.
by the way" Mr. Blaine added, after mo-
mcnt's reflection, 1T is worth notice that MIR.
Polk insisted on emptying the Treasury by a
free-trade tariff, then immediately rushed the
country into debt 10y borrowing $l50, 900 for
the Mexican war. TRUST nothing may occur to
repeat so disastrous a sequel to the policy rec
commended by President Cleveland But tho
uniform fact has been for fifty years past that
the Democratic party when It goes out of power
always leaves an empty treasury and when 1t
returns to power always finds n full treasury"
Then do you mean to imply that there
should be no reduction Of the national reve-
nue?"
REPEAL THE TOBACCO TAX.
@No what ha We said implies the reverse. I
would reduce it by prompt repeal OF the to-
bacco tax and would make here and there some
changes in the tariff, not to reduce protection,
but wisely TO foster it.,
Would you explain your meaning more
fully?"
Il mean" said Mr.. Blaine, that no great
system of revenue like our tariff can operate
with efficiency and equity unless the changes
OF trade be closely watched, and the law
promptly adapted to those changes. But
would make no chance that would impair the
protective character OF the whole body OF the
laws. -Four years ago, in the act OF 1888, we
made changes of the character have tried to
Indicate IL such changes were made, and the
fortifying OF our sea coast thus und ertaken at
very moderate annual outlay no surplus
would be found after that already accumulated
had been disposed OF. The outlay of money on
Notifications, while being Of great service to
the country, would give good work to many
men,"
But what about the existing surplusP"
"The abstract of the message L have SEEM"
reptile Mr.. Blaine, contains no reference to
further than to indorse Fred Grants remarks,
that surplus is always easier to handle than
a deficit"
1.-THE reporter repeated the question whether
the Presidents recommendation would not IL
adopted, give us the advantage Of large in
crease in exports.
Il only reiterate, answered Mr.. Blaine, that
1t would vastly enlarge our imports while the
only export it would seriously increase would
be our gold and silver. That would flow out
bounteously, just as it did under the tariff OF
1916 The Presidents recommendation en-
acted into law would result, did expert
ment in drainage OF man who wished TO turn
swamp into productive field. He dug a
drain to neighboring river but IL happened,
unfortunately, that the level Of the river was
| higher than tho level of the swamp The con-
sequence need not be told. A parallel would
| be found when the Presidents policy in
attempting to open a channel for an increase of
exports should simply succeed in making way
for deluging inflow Of fabrics to the destruc-
| ton OF home industry
But. do you think it important to increase
| our export trader"
Undoubtedly; but it is vastly moro impor-
| tant not to lose our own great market for our
| own people in vain effort to reach the impos-
| sible. 1t Is not our foreign trade that has
cansed the wonderful growth and expansion Of
the Republic. IL is the vast domestic trade be-
tween thirty-etght States and eight Territories,
| with a population of perhaps go, 600 900 to-day
The whole amount Of our export and import
| trade together never, i think, reached $1,000
OOJ,OOO any one year. Our internal homo trade
on 10000 miles Of railway along Is 600 miles Of
ocean coast, over the five great lakes and along
| 2O,OOO miles OF navigable rivers reaches the
enormous annual aggregate of more than $780,
OOO 100000 and perhaps this year $50 OOO 0O0 600
| It is into this illimitable trade even now in
| its Infancy, and destined to obtain magnitude
| not dreamed of twenty years ago, that Euro
| peans are struggling to enter. 1t is the herit-
age or the American people, OF their children,
and OF their childrens children. 1t gives an
absolutely free trade over q territory nearly as
| large as all Europe and profit all our own
The genuine free-trader appears unable to see
or comprehends that this continental trade
not our exchanges with Europe-is the great
| source OF our prosperity. President Cleveland
now plainly proposes a policy that will admit
| Europe to n share OF this trade"
But you are in favor Of extending our foreign
| tIade, are you not7"
Certainly 1 am, in all practical and advan-
| fageous ways, but not on the principle OF the
| exchanging dollar for dino. Moreover, foreign
| trade is often very deusive. Cotton is manu-
! featured in the city of my residence. II q box
of cotton goods is sent 200 miles to The Province
| OF New Brunswick, it is foreign trade. II
| shipped 1900 miles round Cape Horn to Wash
ington Territory, it is domestic trade. The
magnitude of tho Union, and the immensity of
| ito internal trade, require a political econ
| omy. Treaties written for European states do
| not grasp our peculiar situation"
How will the Presidents message be taken
| In the South?"
IL don't dare answer that question. The truth
hns been SO long obscured by certain local
questions OF unreasoning pre- judlce that nobody
can hope for industrial enlightenment among
| their leaders just yet In my view the South
above all sections of the Union, needs protec-
| tive tariff. The two Yirginias, North Carolina,
Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee Alabama and
Georgia have enormous resources and facilities
| for developing and handling man ufactures
| They cannot do anything without protection
fha nat